Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Controlling Bed Bug Infestation

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

If you think that bed bugs are not a problem or a health risk, you are seriously mistaken. While these small insects have always been a problem, recently information about bed bugs has come to light suggesting that they are more of a problem than ever before. Here is the information you need to recognize them and some tips on why you need to get rid of them and the health problems they can cause.

The problem with these insects is that they are very similar in many ways to other bugs like mosquitoes, black flies and fleas. Unlike fleas, they prefer to feed off of the blood of humans although they have been known to survive by eating the blood of animals as well. When they feed, it is not simply a matter of biting and drinking the blood. When these insects feed, part of the process involves injecting their victim with various chemicals such as anticoagulants (to keep the blood flowing) and anesthetics (so that the victim does not feel the bite and the bug can feed in peace). It is these substances that can cause problems over and above the blood loss itself.

These pests love to live in homes and tend to concentrate in our beds and any other furnishings where people sleep and spend time. This can include couches, soft chairs and love seats. During the day, they tend to hide out of sight but may still be fairly active. At night, when people and animals are sleeping, the insects emerge from their nests and begin to feed.

When someone is bitten by one of these insects, they end up with bites that are much like those of a mosquito. There may be a bump which is raised from the surrounding skin. A flat welt may also form. The main difference between these bites and those of other insects is that they are far itchier than other bites may be and this itching can continue for some time after the actual bite has healed.

Two of the most severe problems that can come from bites include anaphylactic reactions to the bites themselves and secondary infections caused by scratching the bites themselves. Severe scratching can break the skin and this can allow secondary infections to occur. In some cases, if a person is being bitten by a large number of insects, they can develop anemia from blood loss. There are medications that can help control the itching and inflammation. These can include corticosteroid creams.

You may be surprised to find out that these insects are becoming a lot more common. They are often carried from infected hotel or motel rooms to homes by the transportation of infected clothing. As well, the fact that more people are beginning to live in condominiums and apartments is making it easier for these insects to spread and flourish.

If you are worried about whether you have these insects in your home, look for signs of blood on your sheets. Feeding bugs will also leave feces behind in the sheets and there may sometimes be shed skin or the body of a bug which has been crushed while feeding. If you do have them in your home, you can steam clean your beds and soft furniture or spread diatomaceous earth because both of these are safe and effective. Larger infestations may require the services of a pest control expert as well.

Bed Bug Pictures

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

Lately, bed bugs have been given a lot of publicity, and are a hot topic of conversation in many cities. New York, as well as other cities, has recently experienced an epidemic of the pesky creatures. News channels have done reports on bed bug infested motels. A internet search for bed bug pictures will produce hundreds of results, images of bed bugs themselves and of the bites you get from them.

All of this attention to bed bugs has created a lot of fear, and it is not necessarily unfounded. Bed bugs are a huge hassle, and ridding yourself of them can cost you money and property. Therefore, all possible precautions should be used to avoid catching them.

Also, they can be just plain embarrassing. There is a stigma associated with bed bugs, and people fear that if they have them, their house or apartment will be perceived as dirty. The fact is, there are tons of ways to catch bed bugs, and they don’t have anything to do with dirt. Here are some of the ways you can contract them:

Picking up furniture from the curb

I know, it is extremely tempting to snatch up a queen size mattress or a beautiful old upholstered chair. But consider the fact that it was put out on the curb for a reason, and that reason could possibly be that it is infested with bed bugs.

Sleeping in unfamiliar places

People always talk about “fleabag motels, ” but they could easily call them “bed bug motels.” Do your best to avoid staying somewhere so low budget that the curtains are dingy and the sheets are stained. Sometimes you might not have a choice, if times are hard or you are far from home and need a place immediately. If that is the case, do a thorough check for any evidence of bed bugs, including tiny blood spots or the bugs themselves. They come out around two or three in the morning, and you can see the bigger ones.

Previously owned clothes

Most thrift stores do wash donated clothes before putting them on a rack for sale, but there is no way to be sure. Also, just washing clothes may not kill bed bugs. What will kill them is heat. Run any second hand clothes through the highest temperature cycle on your dryer for at least forty minutes.

Bed bugs in the building

This is one way that many apartment dwellers contract the bugs. Even if you yourself have taken precautions and have not brought them in from anywhere else, it is possible that your building could be infested. Through no fault of your own, the bugs could find their way to your apartment through the walls.

If you suspect that you are being bitten by bed bugs, look for bed bug pictures. Compare your bites to the ones in the images. Also, try to wait up at night and see if you spot any of the critters. If you catch the problem early, you can minimize your costs and losses. Finding out if you have them is the first step.

Use bed bug pictures to find out more about what bed bug treatment choices you have and to eliminate them for good.

Finding an Effective Bed Bug Treatment

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Bedbugs are tiny parasites that can find a way into your home by jumping aboard your luggage during travels. If you have had a stay over at a residence or inn that resulted in red, itchy bite marks on your skin, you have likely been exposed. Most online information sounds pretty dire, but a very successful bed bugs treatment can be had relatively easily in the form of prevention. Several small steps can save you both money and time.

Bed bugs have been a part of the human existence for quite some time. Many believe this is why households commonly kept a boiling vat of water on. Sufficient amounts of heat can be incredibly efficient in doing away with bed bugs. Bedding and clothing could be easily submerged on a routine basis to avoid reinfestation. Because these parasite are just as happy to feed off of animals as well, including domesticated animals, treating these areas would have been necessary as well.

Heat is one of the more effective ways to kill these parasites without seeking professional treatment. The difficulty in using heat is doing so without damaging your items. Also there are hiding places in which bed bugs may be present that you are unable to permeate with the needed amount of heat.

Modern clothes are not always colorfast, especially when submerged in boiling water. Opting to use this treatment will cause your clothes to fade, bleed and possibly stain other items. If bed bugs are present in your house, this method of treatment will not fully address their presence. This means that your clothes will be ruined and bedbugs may still be hiding in your bed frame.

A truly effective method of prevention is to lock all of your luggage and other travel items into the car with the windows rolled up. The car should be sitting in direct sunlight. This will create the greenhouse effect and bring the temperature of the car high enough to kill any hitchhiking bed bugs. Leaving your items in the car for several hours will likely do the trick.

This method however, is only successful when treating items that have from a hotel or someone else house. If you simply suspect that you have been exposed to an infestation, then this is a good way to protect yourself against having the infestation spread to your home. This should be done before bringing luggage and other treatable items into the house.

Once bed bugs have entered home however, it is always most effective to enlist personal assistance. While human successfully dealt with bed bugs long before exterminators were a popular option, or lives and possessions are far more complex. Eliminating all potential breeders from lives that are often cluttered can be a painstaking process.

If you have noticed suspicious bites on your body while away on travels, taking preventative measures upon your return home will help limit the likelihood of bringing bed bugs home. If you miss the mark on that however, and only notice the problem once the parasites are successfully in, enlisting professional assistance immediately can help clear your house and eliminate the possibility of your spreading them to the houses of families and friends.

Cost Effective Bed Bug Spray

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Bed bugs are often the bane of dirty, cluttered households. This however, isn’t the whole of the truth. Bed bugs jump from household to household by hitching rides in linens, clothing, luggage and furniture. Using bed bug spray as a preventative measure can help prevent getting an infestation in your home.

Used furniture is rarely considered as a cause for infestations. Unfortunately it commonly is. If the prior owner of a purchased item had a bed bug problem, you will too. This means that every time you bring a second hand item into your home without caution you face the risk of bringing home bed bugs. Recently, this has problem has grown in magnitude, making it necessary for bargain hunter to think twice about what they buy, and to use preventative measure on what they do bring in their homes.

Thrift store shopping is more than simply getting a good bargain on special items. For many people it is a fun, leisurely way to spend weekend afternoons. Finding a great deal brings a huge sense of accomplishment. For veteran second-hand shoppers, a successful hunt is more about the process than the actual find itself.

While shopping garages sales and thrift store more people than not fail to be cautious about exactly what it is they are purchasing. In more cases than most know, bargain shoppers get far more than they pay for. Used furniture is a great hiding place for bed bugs. Their tiny, flat bodies can remain well hidden even if a purchase is carefully inspected.

Once the bugs are in the house it can mean weeks on end of red, itchy bites for you and your family. It can mean expensive fees for exterminating your home as well as having to get rid of several items of well-loved furniture. By taking cost-effective preventative steps before bringing used furniture into the home, you can still enjoy your favorite past-time of bargain hunting, without risking a home filled with blood sucking bugs.

Bed bug spray is offered by numerous companies that can be researched online. Often these sprays are designed to treat infestations in your home. The are however, just as effective in treating infested furniture,

Instead of bringing your purchase directly into the house, leave it on the lawn for a quick treatment. For all non-porous purchases you can use bed bug spray to treat the exterior and interior, making certain to pay special attention to crevices, cracks and drawer areas. These are common hiding places for these tiny hitchhikers. Used mattresses, sofas and the like are probably better left at the store or garage sale. They are hard to effectively treat, and can cost you more in the long run with an infestation, than the additional cost of buying these items new.

These insects were a terrible problem up until DDT hit the market and was commonly used. There have been recent regulations on the use of pesticides that have made for an astounding increase in the number of reported bed bug infestations. Many of these were caused by the purchase of second-hand furniture. By taking preventative measures with each of your second hand purchases you can avoid bringing these parasites into your residence. Bed bug spray can allow for continued, yet safe, bargain shopping.

Discover the right bed bug spray by searching online. There are many types of bed bug killer that will work great. Head online now and begin shopping.

Treat Bed Bugs with Bed Bug Spray

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

One very effective way to treat a bed bug infestation is with bed bug spray. Many times the results that can be achieved with this method are downplayed. More often than not however, an ineffective response is due not to the method itself, but inefficiencies in how the method is employed. There are several necessary steps that should be taken before treatment in order to make it effective.

The first thing that you should know about bed bugs is that they are awesome hiders. The have small, flat bodies that can angle into just about any crevice or fold, making them invisible to the untrained eye. An additional advantage that they have over humans is that they only come out at night. Generally the wee hours of the morning, between 1 and 3 am are when they are out and about, and this is typically the best time to see where they are hiding.

The do leave signs of their presence however, that can make an infestation a bit easier to diagnose, and the problem a bit more visible for locating. They are in fact, pretty predictable. The essence of their life is breeding and feeding and this is usually done where you sleep because you are their prime food source when they live in your home. The first places to check is where anyone sleeps, including the furniture and areas by and behind the sleeping areas.

Once you have checked your bed and the sleeping areas of other sleeping areas in your home you must give consideration to your pets. Bed bugs are just as happy to feed on cats, dogs, birds and other household pets so checking these sleeping areas is a prime way not to miss any of your targets. Make certain to check the areas that are surrounding your pet’s sleeping area as well.

Bed bugs leave nasty trails of feces where ever they are present. These look like little black and brown clusters of dots. They excrete where they eat and these are usually spotted on mattress covers, sheets and the mattress itself.

To ensure the best treatment you need to declutter your home. Never before was there a better time to start throwing away all of the things that take up space but are never used and will never be. It is a lot harder to get rid of bed bugs when you leave tons of places for them to hid. The less clutter, the less likely hiding places there will be. You can also treat your laundry in a high temperature drier. Once they have been dried until they are painful to touch you can be fairly certain that the bed bugs are dead.

You should not begin a bed bug spray treatment without first clearing away clutter. Every unnecessary item that is left in a pile of clutter represents a new possible hiding place for bed bugs. This makes spraying less effective. Use the spray according to the expressed manufacturer instructions as they do have variations from brand to brand. Taking extra measures before spraying is guaranteed to give you better results as you work to eliminate this problem.

Searching all over for an effective yet affordable method of getting rid of bed bugs ? Get the inside scoop on bed bug spray in our exclusive online bed bugs treatment summary.

Valuable Bed Bug Covers

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Bed bug covers can protect you from being bit if you are able to trap the bugs inside the covers. Bed bugs like to find warm-blooded hosts to feed on. They can survive for a few months without eating so if you move into a new home or apartment and there was a problem with these pests before then they are probably going to be a problem for you. Calling an exterminator is the best way to ensure that you can get the infestation out of your home.

Bed bugs have not been known to carry any diseases that can seriously harm humans. When you are bitten by a bed bug, you may mistake them for fleabites. They bite in clusters perhaps searching for a better spot to suck your blood. One insect is known to carry more than forty pathogens, but scientists have found that they do not transmit diseases from one host to another. Fleas are more likely to cause humans health concerns than bed bugs.

Because these bugs can hide in so many different places, it is better to call a professional exterminator to locate them throughout your home. If you live in an apartment is may be advisable to have the adjoining apartments checked as well since bed bugs can easily disperse through openings between the two units, usually electrical outlets.

A few things you can do to before the exterminator comes, is to put infested garments or bedding through the washing machine. They have to be washed in a temperature no less than 120 degrees. Unless you throw out the infected garments, this is the only way of killing the bugs since you cannot treat them with insecticides. Once they are done washing, dry them at the highest temperature for no less than 20 minutes.

Items that cannot be laundered will need to be put in plastic bags and left in the sun for 24 hours or more. If the weather does not permit that, then you can freeze the items. However, it takes days to kill the bugs when trying to freeze them. All the furniture will need to be thoroughly vacuumed. The contents of the vacuum cleaner bag must be sealed in plastic and put in the garbage.

You can buy protective covers almost anywhere. Your exterminator may have some to sell. Just remember, they only work if you can capture the bugs in the mattress and seal them in until they die from not being able to eat.

Bed bug covers will assist in keeping any bugs already in the mattress from biting you. However, if they are not inside the mattress they can still jump on the bed to feed on you. The chances that you will get a disease from them are not very high.

Do you have bed bug covers? Then you need to have bed bug killer! With this stuff, those bed bugs will never bite, again! Now, you can peacefully go to sleep every night.

Heat is a Cheap Bed Bug Killer

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Bed bugs are notoriously hard to get rid of. Once they move in it can be a nightmare trying to get them back out. These parasitic insects are phenomenal hiders. Finding an effective bed bug killer however, is not a difficult as most available information would lead you to believe.

Man has dealt with bed bugs since the beginning of his time. It is suspected that this is why it was a common practice to keep a boiling pot of water in the home. This allowed families to routinely dunk clothing and bed coverings into the hot water to help eradicate bed bugs.

Bed bug infestations are becoming a common problem and more and more households are on the hunt for ways to eliminate their bed bug problems without the use of harsh pesticides and certainly without having to spend a ton of money. By resorting to methods that were formerly successful people can avoid chemical sprays within the home. They can also save quite a few dollars.

One free and very easy method to use is heat. At very high temperatures these bugs simply cannot survive. The key aspect of this method of treatment is using the right amount of heat without damaging your belongings.

Submerging clothes into a boiling pot of water is likely to make fabrics bleed and fade. It can also create staining of garments and surfaces, and may not be as effective a method when used in the typical modern, cluttered life. Besides, you really can’t dip your luggage into a huge pot of water very easily.

The application of heat is best done only at a certain interval, especially if you are hoping to use this as your sole method of bed bug treatment. By the time that you have a full blown infestation one of the most time saving things to do is to go ahead and enlist a professional are try a more offensive measure. Heat is best used when you know that you and your belongings have been exposed to bed bugs and you have not yet returned to your host. It can help you avoid bringing a bed bug problem into your own residence.

More often than not people come in contact with bed bugs at hostels, hotels, motels and the residences of friends. If you have returned from a suspicious overnight location the best thing to do when you return home is to leave all of your belongings in the car. Keep the windows rolled up and park the car directly in the sun. This method only really works on hot sunny days. The greenhouse effect will heat up the interior of the car quite rapidly. Leaving your items here for several hours will ensure that every bed bug is dead. If it is too cold outside for this, place your items into a high heat dryer and leave them there until they are painfully hot to your skin.

Heat has been and continues to be an efficient bed bug killer. Employing this method before these hitchhikers set up camp in your home is the best way to increase ineffectiveness. Once bed bugs have begun breeding and feeding inside your home it can be best to consult a professional.

A bed bug killer that doesn’t give you exposure to harmful chemicals and doesn’t drain your pocketbook is quick and easy to locate online. Bed bugs treatment can be accomplished if you are willing to work at it.

Quick Look at Bed Bug Treatments

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

We have heard the saying of don’t let the bed bugs bite, but for some of you out there, they might be biting all too much. How do you get rid of them? Believe it or not there are a few things you can do. Follow us, as we tell you a bit about the bed bug treatment in which you can do as well as the services that you might need to end up getting.

The first thing that you might find is that you can always try and take preventative measures. This would be to get a mattress cover. Since bed bugs love human blood, one of the places they will hide and get your blood is within your mattress. Get something to protect them from thriving in the threads. You might be happy that you have done so.

Another thing that you can do is make sure that you vacuum and steam clean your carpet. This is another area that they love to hang around. When they bite you, it will leave you feeling itchy and all in those locations. This is why you need to try sucking as many of them up or suffocating them with the steam.

The reason we tell you to steam clean is all due to the fact that these bugs hate extreme temperatures. Something else that you can do that stems along the idea of them hating extreme temperatures, there is something else you can do. For those things such as a mattress and all, you can put those items in extreme cold or extremely hot areas.

Some people use the at home foggers. However, if you use them, you might find that they have little to no effect as well as they make a mess. This can be very annoying and more of a hassle that you bargained for. If you are looking to have foggers done, then you might want to pay the extra money and get someone in there to do it for you.

That is why if you really need help of chemicals as this should be your last resort, then we recommend having an exterminator do this. They will know what has to be done. They will know how bad they are. They can do the work of fogging and normally, it won’t take as long when an exterminator does it for you. Yes, this might be a bit of money that you weren’t expecting to spend, but this is the best way to get rid of bed bugs.

So, you see, there are things that you can do. Kiss bed bugs goodbye. Tell them that they are not welcomed at your home. This is the way to get it done. When you do this, you will feel much relief as you won’t be itching from their bites any longer.

Want to learn more about different bed bug treatment options available? Get the ultimate inside skinny now with our overview to the best bed bug killer on the market.

Bed Bug Management with Bed Bug Spray

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

When we were kids a lot of us may have remembered being tucked in with that old saying about not letting the bed bugs bite. As funny as we may have thought it was when we heard it. It really is not all that funny if you discover that you actually might have those pests in your bed. As much of a hassle they may be you can get rid of them if you get the right bed bug spray.

How do you know if they have infested your bed? Well, one of the first signs might be that you wake up in the morning with unexplained bites on your body. This may not be bed bugs but it is better to be safe than sorry. This should make you want check out your bed and everything in your bedroom.

Bed bugs can actually be seen with the naked eye so you should first do a quick visual to see if you see any insect that is about a quarter of an inch in size is flat and brown in color. The best places to look would be in dark places or places that are isolated. If you do not see any bugs with the naked eye you should then look for a fecal matter they leave behind. If you see some sort of brown markings on your sheets almost a rust color, this is a tell tell sign that you have an infestation.

Follow this checklist and it should make it easier to find the bugs if they are hiding. Check the head board of your bed, the foot of the bed, the space in between the bed and head board as well. Check in any rips there might be in the mattress or box spring. Check light switches, cracks in paint, inside framed pictures, take drawers out of dressers and check inside. Small appliances should be checked as well.

It is important that the bed bug spray you purchase is a safe one and specifically made for areas where you will have a lot of contact with. If your bed is in very good it is more than likely you are going to want to treat the bed. If it is old and has several rips or tears in it, it might be a better idea just to buy a new bed. But make sure that everything in the room is treated before bringing the bed in the room.

When you begin to treat your bed, you might want to combine a bed bug dust with a bed bug spray. The dust will cover a larger area and a lot more evenly than the spray. The spray is excellent for crevices and all other places it would be hard to get the dust into.

When spraying make sure to spray all around the bed, behind the bed, under the bed, spray the dressers and all furniture in the room. Do not forget to also spray the entire closet area. Spray framed pictures, the light switches and anything else that could be hiding the bugs. You can then take the dust and spread it evenly and generously on the mattress, make sure mattress is dry before adding it to the bed.

Bed bugs are a pain to deal with and they can make a person uncomfortable with the itching they may cause. It is important to note not to panic if you find you have them, they do not carry any type of disease.

Discover the best choice of bed bug spray by looking online. With a bed bug killer that will work great to fix your problems. Go online today and get your right spray.

Bed Bug Cover Affordable Bed Bug Management

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Pest infestation of any kind is unwelcome. Taking precautions against them are at times tricky at best, but having a good bed bug cover can be a step in the right direction. While this might not stave off the problem altogether, it may make getting rid of them much easier. These do not cost much, and are simple to put on.

There are many easy things that you can do in order to avoid this unpleasant issue to start with. Simply laundering your bedding on a routine schedule will help more than you know. If it seems like a big chore, then try adding it to your calendar and treat it like an appointment that you do not want to go to, but have to anyway.

As you look for the right cover for you, you may notice that there is a wide variety available. They are easy to find and can be located in most department stores. The most common ones are generally the type that cover the entire mattress and have a zipper to close. These are popular because they provide the most protection. If that seems over the top you can get them to fit over your mattress, the same as a fitted sheet does.

As a matter of household maintenance these should be replaced on an annual basis. Some people may find this to be excessive, however these items can suffer from normal wear just as anything else. Over time they can become less effective, or even rip. With a rip it would hardly be worth having. By replacing them on a regular, yearly schedule you can ensure that you are getting the most out of your defensive efforts.

Depending on what type you purchase, these can also help with allergies. Many people can suffer serious allergies, and you would be amazed at the number of possible allergens that reside in your bedding. It is possible to get covers that protect against these. For allergy sufferers the concept of bed covers is nothing new. Having the dual purpose makes them even more appealing.

Of course there can be many other activities that can keep your home safer from bugs and pests. Vacuuming on a daily basis is a great way to keep your home unappealing to bugs. This way there is less of a chance that they can hide or travel through thick carpet fibers and make homes in your furniture or bedding.

Dusting frequently can also help quite a bit. Mites and other pests can make quite a feast from common household dust. Keeping a clean house does much to help protect yourself. Though you do not need to keep your home to museum standards, having a routine to help you keep up with things can be a big boost.

While there is nothing that can guarantee you a pest free home, there are simple things that can help you along. A good bed bug cover can help to reduce your risk of waking up with irritating and unsightly bites all over. The cover will cost you much less than a new mattress.

Taking precautions against pest infestation specifically bed bugs are always a step in the right direction. Get the exclusive inside skinny on the best Bed Bug Cover available on the market in our Bed Bug Mattress Cover guide.